doublebuckeye said:
so is there an advantage in med school to having a tablet vs. a regular laptop?
apparently this X41 isn't a very good model?
Shredder said:
Dunno about tablet vs regular (except for writing directly on tablets), but I don't see much reason for the word going around expressing lack of confidence in the model. I like to think the people in charge of making the decision have decent judgment, no? Otherwise it would be a harbinger of other things to come. Usually top of the line models are overpriced, even if older ones aren't as schnazzy.
Tablets are very convenient for taking notes and I can see it being very beneficial in a diagram- and figure-oriented field of study like medicine.
As for the quality of the X41, it really comes down to a question of longevity. The design of the PC itself is fantastic. I have an older X-series laptop and I really like it. It is small, lightweight and the Lenovo/IBM keyboards are fantastic for a laptop. The screen is ok, although tablets generally have dimmer screens due to the touch screen technology but it likely won't be a problem.
The big disadvantage I see is the choice in processor and how well it will hold up in the very near future. A 1.6GHz Pentium M is old technology (> 2yrs) and has already been replaced by the Core Duo. From what I have read on various websites & forums is that the X41 is already a bit slow (not surprising given the processor) and that will only get worse if any of us plans on running multiple programs at the same time or upgrading to Windows Vista. However, if you don't demand much from your computer and don't intend on running Windows Vista then it may not be such a big deal.
However, if you plan on doing much multi-tasking or want to have the new OS and programs then the value of spending $1800 on outdated tech is questionable, regardless of the great discount that OSU gets. Even w/o the discount, $1800 can get you a Core Duo laptop w/ or w/o tablet functionality if you go with a different manufacturer. That's the problem with having a contract w/ a single vendor like OSU has w/ Lenovo. Their only option for a tablet PC is the X41 until Lenovo releases the X61 w/ Core Duo later this year (likely November). Therefore, they had to make compromises on the power of the machine. I think a telling fact is that the speed of the X41 (1.6GHz) is less than the minimum processor speed for people who are coming in w/ their own laptop (1.7GHz). If you don't want to miss out on the discount, you can even get a different Lenovo that isn't a tablet but has Core Duo for the same price or less.
Ultimately it comes down to your own needs and admittedly mine are greater than most others as I generally run multiple programs at the same time (Word, Excel, AIM, Google Desktop Search, etc.). If you don't need the power and really want a tablet then the X41 may be fine. Personally, I will wait a couple months for the X61 tablet which will have the same great design along with the new processor and pick that up when it is available. I may end up paying a little more for the X61 but I think it will be worth it.
